This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Cali.
Cali is the third-largest city in Colombia, located in the south of the country about twelve hours by bus from Bogota. With a tropical climate, Cali has an average of around thirty degrees Celsius each day. Leave your Cali hostel and visit one of the many bars -- the city places close up at 2 a.m., whereas including Menga aka La Zona Rosa, a suburb outside the main city, stay going long into the night. There are a variety of different places, indoor and outdoor, bars and discos. The main music in Cali is salsa and visitors have the opportunity to try this with some of the locals. Even if salsa is not your thing and you are too shy to try, you can enjoy an evening admiring the skills of the locals. Recommended places are Jala Jala Club or Lolas.
An enjoyable way to spend an afternoon outside your Cali hostel is to hike up to Las Tres Cruces (The Three Crosses). It takes about two hours and can be reached by a number of different tracks. At the top are TV towers (secure location), an outdoor gym, and an altar where mass is said weekly. Chipichape is a large shopping mall near the city centre if shopping is your thing. The rich people of Cali dress well and prices are relatively expensive. Other than that there is actually very little to do in Cali. Most people only spend a couple of nights before moving on to Medellin, Bogota, or south to the Zona Cafetera or onto Ecuador.
The hostels in Cali are good quality and have all the services for backpackers. Many of them are newly refurbished and very clean.
Written by local enthusiast for Cali hostels
RayJ
